Many portfolio managers, research chiefs, and advisors take the time to express their opinions about the markets, individual stocks, or other items on their minds. Some fund shops publish more frequently--on a monthly or even weekly basis.

If you are interested in contributing to Perspectives, please emailLiana Madura.

Recent Commentary
Patterson Advisors | David C. Patterson, Erin Preston | 10-31-2009It's Harvest Time Again!
Losses in taxable accounts can be "harvested", resulting in income tax savings that can mitigate the losses we have seen in our portfolios over the last two years.

Al Frank | John Buckingham; CIO | 10-30-2009Sentiment-al Journey
The volatility in the past year has caused many to stray from the long-term paths they had been treading and has turned some investors so cautious that they've put their portfolios at the mercy of inflation.

Barel Karsan | Saj Karsan | 10-30-2009How Efficient is Management? One of the most important factors in determining whether a company is worth an investment is the quality of its management.

Sidoxia Capital Management | Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP | 10-30-2009The Halloween Indicator Buried at Cemetery in 2009
The so-called "Halloween Indicator" has popularized the expression of "sell in May and walk away." The indicator obviously has not followed the alleged tendency in 2009.

Barel Karsan | Saj Karsan | 10-28-2009What Does the Index Really Tell You? While the S&P 500 is a useful indicator of the perceived health of the US economy, its usefulness as an investing and comparison tool is limited.

Sidoxia Capital Management | Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP | 10-28-2009Not Out of the Woods Quite Yet
Fewer people are debating the existence of "green shoots," however now the discussion is turning to sustainability.

Patterson Advisors | David C. Patterson, Erin Preston | 10-27-2009Recent IRS Notice Could Save You on Taxes
A recent IRS notice allows a participant or surviving spouse to roll over required minimum 2009 distributions from an IRA or defined contribution plan to another plan or IRA.

Sidoxia Capital Management | Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP | 10-27-2009Compensation: Pitchforks or Penalties?
Market officials will penalize wrongdoers, so we can safely put away the pitch forks and pull out more transparent glasses with which to oversee the industry.

Advisors Capital Management | Dr. Charles Lieberman, CIO | 10-26-2009Policy Needs and Timing Concerns
There is still much to be done in the aftermath of the credit crisis.

Calvert Group | Mike Schwager, Chief Market Strategist | 10-26-2009Economic Concerns Rain on the Earnings Parade
The major market indices finished lower for the first time in three weeks as spotty economic data outweighed generally better than expected earnings reports.

Patterson Advisors | David C. Patterson, Erin Preston | 10-26-2009How Soon We Forget!
Patterson Advisors believes the current rally is being fueled by the 'typical investor' chasing performance after selling at market lows.

Research Affiliates | Robert Arnott and John West, CFA | 10-26-2009Rip Van Winkle's Investment Lesson
Following the 'Take No Prisoners' market of 2008 and early 2009, the 'Mother of all Recoveries' market of 2009 continued in the third quarter.

Sidoxia Capital Management | Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP | 10-26-2009Insider Trading: Raj Rajaratnam vs. Pete Rose
How is a sabotaging CEO, who is raking in millions by shorting his company's stock ,supposed to be a good thing for stakeholders?

US Global | Frank Holmes, CEO | 10-26-2009Big Cities, Big Opportunity
A mass migration is taking place across the globe as more and more people are relocating to urban areas.

John Mauldin | John Mauldin | 10-25-2009Stagflation: The Better of Two Evils
John Mauldin believes the best outcome from all the easy monetary policy and budget deficits is stagflation. While not a pleasant scenario, he says, the far more worrisome prospect is continued trillion-dollar deficits.

John Mauldin | John Mauldin | 10-25-2009The Best of Times or the Worst of Times?
John Mauldin and colleague Bill Bonner debate whether America's role in the changing global economy, and subsequently the fate of its future generations, is glass half full or glass half empty.

INSEAD | Glenn van Zutphen | 10-23-2009Where Next for GE?
Jeff Immelt, Chairman and CEO of General Electric, comments on the current business environment and how successful business players need to have a corporate culture and strategic process that is flexible and can adapt quickly.

Sidoxia Capital Management | Wade W. Slome, CFA, CFP | 10-22-2009What to Do Now? Time to Get Your House in Order
If you outsource your taxes to a professional CPA, and your estate planning (e.g., will and trusts) to attorneys, then why wouldn't you seriously consider outsourcing your investments to a professional?

University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | 10-22-2009Cable On the 'Net
At Comcast, the art of the deal drives movement of TV content to the Web

University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | 10-22-2009Opening Windows
The introduction of Windows 7 is not a big deal for Microsoft. It's a huge and critical deal.

Barel Karsan | Saj Karsan | 10-20-2009Apple's Soar Means Future Sores
Investors must keep in mind that price and value are two different things: just because Apple's business value is high, does not mean one should be willing to pay anything for the stock.

Patterson Advisors | David C. Patterson, Erin Preston | 10-20-2009Do You Have Adequate Liability Insurance?
In today's litigious society, it is extremely important to have adequate liability coverage to protect you from a broad range of risks.

Muhlenkamp | Anthony Muhlenkamp | 10-19-2009ROTH IRA Update
The Roth IRA is an effective way of saving money for retirement that grows and compounds tax deferred, and can be withdrawn TAX FREE in retirement.

Muhlenkamp | Ron Muhlenkamp | 10-19-2009Consumer Spending in Focus
Now the question is to what extent consumer spending resumes growth or stays subdued.

University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | 10-19-2009A Global Question: Is it Time to Raise Interest Rates?
Should the world's main central banks raise interest rates too early, they may stymie the recovery now under way. But if they wait too long, they could generate inflationary pressures and create bubbles.

Claymore Securities | Mike Schwager, Chief Market Strategist | 10-19-2009Dow 10K: A Conspiracy of Optimism?
Current VIX levels is suggest that investors may be wearing rose-colored glasses, and therefore, a near-term pause may be in the cards.

INSEAD | Shellie Karabell | 10-19-2009Tupperware: A Party Somewhere Every Two Seconds
The Tupperware sales force (of more than 2.4 million) has gone global, holding Tupperware parties in more than 100 countries, some of them as far from the US as India, France, China and Brazil.

INSEAD | 10-19-2009Understanding Markets Key to Globalization
Even as some multinationals are still mulling over their China strategy, others like Siemens had been laying the groundwork in China a long time ago.

Lord Abbett | Milton Ezrati, Senior Economist and Market Strategist | 10-19-2009The "Value Trap"
Though the recent rally raises the market's vulnerability to a temporary correction, and many risks remain, history suggests that this particular concern is terribly misplaced, and even has a name: "value trap."

MFS Funds | James Swanon, CFA; Chief Investment Strategist | 10-19-2009Whirling in a Positive Direction
MFS' Swanson says conditions are significantly better than they were six months ago, accurately reflected by the market, and he sees factors that could lead to even more positive results than expected.

Al Frank | 10-16-2009More Treats than Tricks
As the investment world reclaims normalcy, evidenced by the resurrection of the IPO market and flurry of M&A announcements, October will likely offer more treats than tricks for those able and willing to invest for the long term.

Shenkman Capital Management | Adam S. Kurzer | 10-16-2009Benchmark Envy
Even if portfolio managers could replicate the index, would investors want to assume the commensurate risk of "owning the index"?

Dreyfus | Phil Maisano, CIO | 10-16-2009The Crossroads of Recovery
CIO Phil Maisano reviews the direction and velocity of economic activity, the potential roadblocks, and the implication on the performance of various asset classes.